Heel-compressing machine.



' W. R. BARCLAY.

HEEL COMPRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 5. 1913.

1,171,407." H 1 Patented Feb. 15,1916.

W/T/VESS'ES.

jected to a pressure of many tons tot square nch, and in order to secure adequate 7 WILLIAM RODERICK BARCLAY, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

HEnL-ooMPRn-ssnve MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Feb 15, 1916.

Application filed July 5, 1913. Serial No. 777,473.

This invention relates to machines for compressing heels in the manufacture of boots and shoes, and particularly to the heel mold and the structure intimately associated therewith in a machine of this type.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved machine of this character especially adapted for compressing heels that are formed with sloping breasts.

Molds such as ordinarily employed on heel compressing machines include a top lift plate or die which acts upon the tread face of the heel, a heel seat die opposite the top lift die, a. breast die which bears upon the breast of the heel, and side dies which act upon the side and rear portions. In the operation of the machine the top lift die and the heel seat die are moved relatively toward each other, the side dies are moved inwardly,

and the breast die through connections with p the side dies is moved in the direction of the heel breast. These movements take place simultaneously and serve to compress the heel in all directions. After the compression has taken place, the parts are moved to disengage the heel from the heel seat die, the side and breast dies are withdrawn slightly, and the heel is lifted from between the latter by relative movement of the top lift die and other parts of the mold and brought into position to be ejected from the machlne. Ma-

chines of this character have been constructed heretofore to operate upon heels that are formed with the breast portion substantially perpendicular to the plane of the top lift. WVith such a construction but little movement of the side and breast dies is re quired in order to release the heel and permit it to be removed from the mold in the manner above explained. This feature is of greatimportance, since these molds are substrength without undue bulk or waste movement in the machine and assure rapidity and certainty of operation, it is desirable to keep the separating movements of the difierent parts of the mold as small as practicable.

It will be clearly apparent that a mold lncludlng a breast die having its face normally sloping inwardto conform to a sloping heel breast would require a much greater .movement of the die in order to provide .sufliclent space for the removal of the heel.

It has been customary, therefore, in cases where a heel with a sloping breast was desired, to give the heel this shape in a subsequent breasting operation. In view of the increasing demand for heels of this shape on certain classes of shoes, and in order to avoid the waste of stock involved heretofore in the formation of such heels, I have devised an improved machine whereby the heel may be compressed with a sloping breast in substantiallv the shape desired, and

at the same time the relatively small range. of movement of the parts of the mold and other desirable characteristic features of such machines are retained.

The invention contemplates, broadly, provision-for relative angular movement of different portions of the'heel mold, whereby the breast die may assumedifferent relative angular positions corresponding respectively to the open and closed positions of the mold. Preferably the breast die will be mounted .for turning movement upon a suitable support and will be arrlnged to assume, when the mold is open, aposition with its compressing face substantially vertical or perpendicular to the plane of the top lift die and retracted from the path of vertical movement of the latter, the construction permitting angular movement of the breast die to conform to the incline of the heel "breast when the mold is closed. The top lift die and the relatively positioned to operate. upon a heel heel seat die ,will be formed with a sloping breast, and the its normal inactive position by yielding means which permits the die to assume the incline of the heel breast when the mold is closed and to return automatically to its vertical position on the opening of the mold. lVith this construction, as will be apparent, but little relative movement of the parts of the mold is required to provide a free vertical path for the removal of the heel.

These and other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through portions of the machine including the heel compressing mold, showing the parts in the position that they assume while a heel is being compressed. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the mold in open position and the heel raised from the mold and in position to be ejected from the machine.

The portion of the machine illustrated includes heel seat die 2 which is mounted upon a stationary frame member 4, and'a vertically movable head 6 which supports and carries the heel and the complementary portions of the mold toward and from the die 2 in the operation of the machine. Carried by thehead 6 are a top lift die 8, side dies, one of which is shown at 10, for operating upon the sides and the rear of the heel, and a breast die 12. The top lift die 8 is mounted upon a rod 14 which has provision for relative vertical. movement to raise the heel from the mold after compression. It will be understood that the parts are suitably operated to cause the portions of the mold to close upon the heel 16 during compression, and subsequently to release the heel, the head 6 dropping below the heel seat die after the compression is completed and the rod 14 being moved relatively to the head at this time to raise the heel to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The features of the operating mechanism and other portions of the machine are not shown in detail since they may be the same as in a well known type of compressing machine such as disclosed in United States Patent No. 776,823, granted to Charles L. Allen, December 6, 1904.

In my improved construction the dies 2 and 8 are arranged relatively to operate upon a heel that is formed with a sloping breast, and the ends 18 of the side dies also are inclined to conform to this shape of heel. The breast die 12 is carried bodily toward and from the heel in directions substantially parallel to the plane of the top lift die 8 by movement of the sliding support 20, the die being mounted directly upon a detachable portion 22 of the support. The die 12 in my construction is movable with reference to its supporting member, and is preferably arranged to turn about a virtual axis through the provision of a convex radial surface 24 on the die and a correspondingly concave surface on the support 22. The die is provided with ribs 26 concentric with the curvature of said surfaces, and these ribs are engaged by corresponding ribs 28 on cover plates 30 that are secured to the sides of the support 22, so that while the die is free to turn about its virtual axis it is prevented from becoming detached from the support and is compelled to partake of the movement of the latter toward and from the heel.

The virtual axis about which the breast die turns is horizontal and substantially at the center'of the die with reference to its height, and normally, when retracted from the heel, the die is kept with its compressing surface 32 substantially vertical as shown in Fig. 2.- This is effected by means of a spring 34 located below the axis of the die, and abutting surfaces 36 and 38 respectively on the die and the support. Preferably the spring is located, as shown, in a recess in the support and bears at its outer end upon the die. The lower part of the front surface of the support is cut away at an angle as shown at 40, so that the die 12 may be turned in opposition to the spring 34 to bring the front surface of the die into conformity with the incline on the breast of the heel and into a substantially parallel relation to the ends of the side dies.

The surface 40 is so arranged as to form an abutment against which the die 12 will bear firmly during the compressing operation, and is inclined at a suitable angle to correspond to the incline of the breast of the heel that is to be compressed.

As previously mentioned, the die supporting member 22 is detachably mounted on the main support 20. The purpose of this arrangement is either to effect adjustment of the mold for different sizes of heels or to provide for the substitution of other supports so arranged that the compressing face of the die 12 will be differently angled. For purposes of adjustment, also, a filling piece 42 is preferably provided between the member 22 and the main supporting member 20, and this piece is joined to said members by tongue and groove connections indicated respectively at 44 and 46, the filling piece and the supporting members being held in relatively fixed relation by screws 48 and 50 which are provided with heads that overlap respectively the joints between this piece and the adjacent members. The face of the die 12 is beveled at its upper end, as shown at 52, so as to conform to the adjacent end portion of the die 2 when the parts of the mold are in compressing position.

From the foregoing description it will 7 be apparent that'in the operation of com pressing -a heel the breast die 12 will be turned by engagementwith the heel breast turn the die so that its acting surfacewill assume a substantially perpendicular posi tion with reference to the plane of the top lift die 8. With the parts'in this position the heel may be readily removed from the mold through the raising of the top lift die, and another heel may be inserted.

Although I have disclosed my invention as embodied in a machine. having the particular features of construction shown and described it will be understood that the invention in its broader aspects is notthus limited in its appllcatlon but that various other embodiments are comprehended within the spirit and scope of the claims;

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a heel compressing machine, a heel compressing mold including a breast die movable to different angular positions with reference to other portions of the mold, said die being movable also bodily. in directions substantially parallel to the plane of the top lift portion of the heel.

2. In a heel compressing machine, a heel compressing mold including a top lift die and a breast die normally maintained while in inactive position in a predetermined angular relation to the plane of the top 11ft die, said breast die being movable auto-' matically to a different angular position during the compressing operation to causeits compressing face to incline relatively toward the heel engaging surface of the top lift die.

3. In a heel compressing machine, a heel compressing mold including a breast die 7 normally maintained while in inactive position with its compressing face in substantially perpendicular relation to the top lift engaging surface of the mold, the parts of said mold having provision for relative movement to bring said face of the breast die into a different angular relation to other portions of the mold during the compressing operation.

4. Ina heel compressing machine, the combination with a top lift die upon which the heel is supported, of a breast die normally maintained while in inactive position with its compressing face substantially perpendicular to the plane of the top lift die, said breast die being movable to cause its compressing face'to assume an inclined" position with reference to the plane of the top li'ftdie during the compressing opera tion.

5. In'a'heel compressing machine, a heel compressing mold including a top lift die upon which the heel is supported, said die being movable vertically with reference to other portions of the'mold to raise the heel after compression, and a breast die normally retracted from the path of said movement of the top lift'die and having its compressing face substantially perpendicular to the plane of said die while in retracted position, said breast die having provision also for angular movement with reference to the' toplift die so as to conform during the compressing operation to the incline of a sloping heel breast.

6. In a heel compressing machine, the combination with atop lift die upon which the heel is supported, of side dies having their ends inclined to correspond with the incline of a sloping heelbreast, and a breast die normallymaintained while in inactive positionwith its compressing'face substantially'perpendicular to the plane of the top lift die and having provision for angular movement to bring its compressing face substantially parallel to the inclined ends of the side dies inthe compressing operation. 7. In a heel compressing machine, a breast die movable bodily toward and from the I breast of the heel in directions substantially parallel to the plane of the top lift, said die being mounted also for angular movement to cause it to conform to the shape of a heel having an inclined breast.

8. In a heel compressing machine, the combination'with a heel seat die and a heel support, said die 'andsupport'being relatively movable to cause said die to engage the heel, of a breast die mounted upon said support, said breast diebeing movable to different angular positions with reference to the support.

9. In a heel compressing machine, the combination with a top liftidie arranged to support a heel for the compressing operation, of a breast die movable to different angular positions with reference to the plane of said top lift die, and means for preventing relative bodily movement of the top lift die and the breast die transversely to the plane of the top lift die during the Igperation of the machine to compress a eel.

10. In a heel compressing machine, the combination with a heel supporting head, of a die support mounted thereon and movable bodily with reference thereto in directions toward and from the heel, a breast die mounted upon the support and movable to" different angular positions with reference 139 thereto, and means for maintaining said die while inactive in a predetermined angular position with reference to said support.

11. In a heel compressing. machine, the combination with a heel supporting head, of a die support mounted thereon, a breast die mounted upon said support so as to turn with reference thereto, said die and support having opposed abutments corresponding to a normal inactive position of the die, and means tending to maintain said die normally with said abutments in contact.

12. In a heel compressing machine, the combination with a die support, of a breast die mounted upon said support so as to turn with reference thereto, said die being arranged to assume a normal inactive position with reference to said support and being movable to a different relative angular position during the compressing operation, said die and support having cooperating abutments arranged to position the die firmly in said predetermined angular relation during the compressing operation.

13. In a heel compressing machine, the combination with a die support, of a breast die mounted upon said support so as to turn with reference thereto, said support being movable to carry the die bodily toward and from the heel in directionssubstantially parallel to the plane of the top lift, and means tending to maintain said die while inactive in a predetermined angular position with reference to said support, said means being constructed to yield during the compressing operation to permit the die to assume a different relative angular position.

14. In a heel compressing machine, the combination with a die support, of abreast die mounted upon said support so as to turn with reference thereto, said support being movable to carry the die bodily toward and from the heel in directions substantially parallel to the plane of the top lift, and means tending to maintain said die while inactive in a predetermined angular position with reference to said support, said means being constructed to yield during the compressing operation to permit the die to assume a different relative angular position and to return said die to its former inactive position on a separation of said die and heel subsequent to compression.

15. Ina heel compressing machine, the combination with a die support, of a breast die mounted on said support so as to turn with reference thereto, a top lift die, side dies having inclined ends opposed to the compressing face of the breast die, and means for maintaining the breast die while in inactive position with its compressing face at an angle to said ends of the side dies and substantially perpendicular to the plane of the top liftdie, said means being yieldable during the compressing operation to permit the breast die to assume a position with its acting face substantially parallel to the ends of the side dies.

16. In a heel compressing machine, a die support movable toward and from the breast of the heel, a breast die carried by said support and movable relatively thereto, and means tending to maintain said die when retracted from the heel with its compressing face substantially perpendicular to the plane of the top lift, said means being constructed to yield during the compressing operation to permit said die to conform to the incline of a sloping heel breast.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM RODERICK BARCLAY.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK WILLIAM VvORTI-I, I nnnnmo VVYILLIAM TITS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

